People in Cornwall are being asked to start the New Year on a green note by recycling their natural Christmas trees.
Christmas trees can be dropped off at any of Cornwall Council’s 12 household waste and recycling sites in Bodmin, Bude, Helston, Launceston, Connon Bridge, Newquay, Redruth (Pool), Saltash, St Austell, St Day, St Erth and Tintagel (Bowithick).
Cornwall Council will also be collecting Christmas trees free of charge during January from the towns and main villages in the former Carrick, Caradon and North Cornwall areas.
Another option is to compost your Christmas tree at home. Christmas tree branches in compost bins help to create air spaces, which aid the composting process, and the wood will eventually break down, increasing the carbon in the compost. Simply cut the branches small enough to fit in your compost bin and pop them in. Alternatively, you can save the branches until the next time you empty your compost bin and place them in the bottom of the bin to act as a base for any new material.
Christmas tree branches can also be used to provide a haven for wildlife such as insects, frogs, toads, lizards and even hedgehogs. Stack the branches in a corner of your garden to create your own mini habitat.
Julian German, Cornwall Council’s Cabinet member for waste management and environment, said: “We should all be making a New Year’s resolution to be that little bit greener. There are plenty of small things that we can do, like recycling, that add up to a big difference for our environment. Recycling your Christmas tree is a good first step.”
People living in the former Carrick area can put their real Christmas trees out with their green waste on the blue week.
In the former Caradon area, Christmas trees will be collected on normal garden waste collection days.
In the former North Cornwall area, residents of towns should put their Christmas trees out on their usual garden waste collection days, while those living in North Cornwall’s villages should ring 0300 1234 141 for details of their Christmas tree collection day.
Christmas tree collection arrangements vary from area to area as Cornwall’s waste and recycling services are still in the process of being unified.
Details for individual areas are available from Cornwall Council’s customer service centre on 0300 1234 141.
